Apparatus for the conversion of motion according to one law into motion according toanother law



April 24, 1926. 1,667,640

. W. STROUD APPARATUS FOR THE CONVERSION OF. MOTION ACCORDING TO ONE LAW INTO MOTION ACCORDING TO ANOTHER LAW Filed Feb. 1. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 B 5 B Y 26 2s 2? 0 4 2 0 A A 21 27' 25 29 9 l 6 1 2 \HIIH IHIHIIHIHI Ill 8 22 r 21 26 7 m v Fig.3.

W. STROU D APPARATUS FOR THE CONVERSION OF MOTION ACCORDING TO ONE LAW INTO MOTION ACCORDING TO ANOTHER LAW Filed Feb. 1. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 24, 1928.

Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

run ,srarss PATENT; OFF-ICE,

WILLIAM s'rnovn, or

APPARATUS non "rnm convnnsaon or MOTION: A'CGORDING ao oNnL Aooonnmero ANOTHER LAW.

'GLASGOW1,Y,SCO'ILAND, SIG-Non To ARR AN'D s'rnorm, LIMITED, or oLAseomsco'rLANn i' ,alpplica'tion filed February '1, "1924, Serial 'No. 689,885, and in G reatfBritai n February 2,1 19

This invent-ion refers to improved means for the conversion, Within the limits of a prescribed extent of movement, '(Yf-IIIOt-IOII according to'one law into motion according .to another law. F or example, it refers to -means for the conversion of' motions inaccordance with those "of the working head of .a constant base -rangefinder'vvh1ch commotions according :to a-uniform scaleof ranges into motions-according to a scale ;of gunsight elevatlons corresponding to the ranges or for other vpurposes.

In mechanisms for effecting such transformations of motions a difliculty arises when the 'veloc1ty-rat1o varies over wide limits at different parts of the transformation, e. g.--.to .conventia reciprocal scale of ranges extending from 3,000 to 30,000

yards into a uniform scale, the velocity-v ratio varies from -1 to 100. When con-ver- S1011 of thijsextent oflmovement, is done in one stage the sizes of the parts are necessarily great. To :avoid'this, ,gear has been devised, by which a conversion is efi'ected in two steps, each, say, of 1 to-10 by two-trains of mechanism in series one with the other I 7 both of which act-together simultaneously.

i The requirements of modern -,gunnery de mand,however,continually increasing ranges and continually increasing accuracy.

The object of the ,present -lnwention 1s genincreasing thesize, and in which the power required for operation may' be reduced.

According to this invention apparatus is provided for the conversion, within the lim its of a prescribedextent of .movement of motion according'to one law into motion ac-,

cording. to another law, comprising conversion mechanisms, operable for converting motion according to one law intomotion accordingztosanother law, each such conversion mechanism being operable for conversion of a separate portion-rand -0ne. andthe same portion only, of the prescribed extent ofv movement, the sum of the separate portions 7 constituting the prescribed extent of move ratio ofonly 1.24.

'Inthe'case of the conversion from 'a re-i another as shown-e, g.

ment, a driving-element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement to-be converted, means for transmitting from the driving element motion accordingv to-theportions of. movement to beconverted, each to "lts apportloned conversion mechanism respectively, separately andin su'ceession,- a driven-element rotatable according to i'the Aw mmomomron prescribed extent of movement converted,

and means for transmitting to the-driven element motion according :to the 7 portions of movement converted, each from its apportioned conversion mechanism respectively, separately and in -suc cess10n.

Suppose it is desired toeoonvert a reciprocal scale fron1'2,000 yards Ito 32,000 yards intoa uniform -scale between the-same -limits, involving variations in velocity-ratio amounting to as much as 1:16 or.,1'11:'256. By the'present invention thisis accomplished by means of a number of separate conver- V sion mechanisms of whichioneonly is tre'e'to .operate at one time. ,Thus, for-example,

with tyvokmechanisms the first may effect the conversion ifromsay 2,000 yards to 8,000, in which the velocity-ratio will 'beonly 1:4 or

32,000," in each of which the velocity-ratios will beans '1 16.35. In-the caseof-"ifoummechvanisrns the first maycover the part 2,000 to 4,000, the second, 4,000 :to 8 ,000, the third 8,000=t0:16,000 vandthe fourth 16,000 toa3-2g000 "1216, While the :second operates from-8 ,000 I yards to 32,000wvith thesamevelocityeratio.

with in each :case :a variation iof -velocityciprocal to a uniform scale the conversion means (say :hellco-splral gears connected by a, travelling idle Wheel as in Figure 1101? J United States Patentv No. 1,159,463, parts the one ofanother. In other cases eg. ,for

the conversion from a iuniform scale of ranges into :the -appropriate angularrelevm tion of a v,qun, it maxy -be mecessary to construct suitabl'e mechanism forveach {part of the conversion. v I

Some examples of construction awarding illustrating modifications.

Figure 3 is another view of part of the mechanism shown in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a side view and Figure 7 is an end view illustrating a further modification.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are diagrams of apparatus to be described.

The invention will he described as applied to the conversion of a uniform' scale of ranges'into a reciprocal scale.

In the apparatus illustrated at Figure 1, shaft 1 is rotatable in conformity with motion according to one law, which. in the example to be described is in conformity with change of range according to a uniform scale. Toothed bevel 2 is carried by shaft 1 and turns with it, bevel 2 being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the axis of shaft 1. Bevels 3 and 4: gear with bevel 2, bevels 3 and 4 being rotatable about the axis of shaft 1. The three bevels 3, 2, i, form an ordinary differential gear. Gear wheel 5 rotates with bevel 3 and gear wheel 6 rotates with bevel 1. Wheel 6 has a detent A and wheel 5 has a detent A Holder B is engageable with detent A and when in engagement prevents wheels 6 and 4: from rotating. Holder B is engageable with detent A and when in engagement prevents wheels 5 and 3from rotating. Means, examples of which will be described later, are provided for bringing the holder B into engagement with detent A while keeping 13 out of en,- gagement with detent A and vice versa. The associated elements so far described are for distributing motion to be converted obtained from shaft 1 to 5 or 6, distributing it to 5 or to 6 according to whether 6 or 5 is prevented from rotating. Thus, when 5 is held 6 is free to rotate, motion of shaft 1 being then transmitted to 6, and when 6 is held 5 is free to rotate, motion of shaft 1 being then transmitted to 5.

Gear wheel5 meshes with gear wheel 7. Toothed helico-spiral member 9 rotates with wheel 7 Travelling gear wheel 10 meshes with member 9. 'loothed helicospiral member 11 meshes with gear wheel .10. The members 9, 11 and gear 10 repre sent a known form of conversion mechanism, see United States Patent 1,159,463, suitable for converting, within the limits of a prescribed extent of movement, motion according to one law into motion according to another law. Gear wheel 6 meshes with gear wheel 8 and toothed helico-spiral member 12 rotates with wheel 8. Toothed helicodisengaged from spiral member 12, travelling gear wheel 13 and toothed helicospiral member 14 represent conversion mechanism similar to 9, 10 and 11.' The gear ratios 5 and 7 are different from 6 and 8. These conversion mechanisms are for converting motion according to a uniform scale derived from wheels 5 and 6 into motion according to a reciprocal scale, the mechanism 9, 10 and 11 being for converting motion derived from 5, and the mechanism 12, 13 and 14 for converting motion derived from 6. Thus, with gear wheel 10 at the extreme left, and gear wheel 13 at the position shown, which is the extreme left, holder 13 engaged with detent A preventing wheel 6 from rotating, holder B detent A permitting wheel 5 to rotate, rotation. of shaft 1 causes wheel 5 only to rotate and the mechanism 9,

10 and 11 only tooperate, in the process of which wheel 10 travels to the right and when itreaches the extreme right the conversion of motion for the extent of move ment to which the mechanism 9, 10, 11' is limited is thereby completed. lVhen this is accomplished, holder B is engaged with de-- tent A areventirm wheel 5 from rotatin 7 2-: b7

and holder B disengaged from A permitting wheel 6 to rotate, and continued rotation of shaft 1 now causes wheel 6 only to rotate and the mechanism 12, 13 and 14 only to operate, in the process'of which-wheel 13 travels to the right and when it reaches the extreme right the conversion of motion for the extent of movement to which the mechanism 12, 13, 14: is limited is thereby com- Jpleted. In the operation of these two mechanisms the members 11 and 14k rotate each according to a reciprocal scale. Thehelicospiral members 11 and 14k are'co-axial, rotating about what will'be termed a principal axis;

Bevel 15 rotates with member 11 and bevel 17 rotates with member 14. Bevel l6 gears with bevels l5 and 17 and rotates about an axis perpendicular to said principal axis, and turns about the principal axis. Gear wheel 18 rotates about the principal axis and rotates with the turning of 16. The three bevels 15, 16, 17, form an ordinary dill'erential gear, and-are for collecting mo-' tion which has been converted obtained from helico-spiral members 11 and 1 1. gear 16 is caused to 'turn, and with it wheel 18 to rotate about the principal axis by motion obtained from 11 when mechanism 9, 10,11 is operating, and by motion obtained from 14 when mechanism 12, 13, 14 is operating.

The extent of movement which is capable of conversion with the apparatus depends upon the length of gears on the'helicospiral members 9, 11 and 12, 14:, and the prescribed extent of conversion is dealt with in two portions. Thus, starting from the lowest Thus,

with 41, gear 43 44 gears with 43. Rack 44 is formed with an extension provided with holders B B 13 engageable with detent A and 13? engageable with detent A and in one position thereby moving rack 44 and with it the holders B B In one position oi the hold-.

ers B B the position for change over, both detents A and A? are engaged, this position occurring when the change over, as explained with reference to Figure 1, is to be effected, and movement of B and B by rack 44 causes either B or B to pass out of engagement with its detent, the other remaining engaged. Thus, the motion imparted to rack 44 transmitted by the train of gear from shaft 1, must be so apportioned that the position for change over is reached when mechanism 9, 10, 11 has completed conversion and mechanism 12, 13, 14 is to begin, and vice versa.

Figures 4 and 5 show how three or four sets of mechanisms may be used. In these views parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 are, as in Figure 1. In Figure 4, 5 gears with 50, and 6 with 51 carrying the planet 53 of the differential gear 52, 53, 54; One conversion mechanism is geared to 50, a second to a gear 55 which rotates with 52 and a third to a gear 56 which rotates with 54, similar to the arrangement shown in Figure 1 for two mechanisms. Similarly in Figure 5 with two difr'erential gears, four gear wheels, 57, 58, 59 and 60, can be associated with four separate mechanisms, one with each. In Figures 4 and 5 detents A are indicated on the members which are required to be held.

Figure 6 represents a side view and Figure 7 an end view of one separate mechanism inwhich spirals are used instead of helicospiral gears as in Figure 1. Nhen this mechanis'm is in operation over a part of the reciprocal scale, the bevel is rotated through angles proportional to the changein range.v

70 is fixed to shaft 69 to which is also fixed bevel 71 gearing with bevel '52 and thereby rotating toothed spiral 73 gearing with toothed spiral 76 :arrying bevel 77 driving bevel 78 whose motion is connnunicated to the reciprocal scale. 74 and represent friction discs whichmay be provided to assist in the drive.

In Figures 8, 9 and 10, D D D designate differential means for distributing motion differential means, M M M M conversion of motion mechanisms, say, of the helico-spiral, spiral or other type of conversion mechanism, and R R, It, differential rotates with 42 and rack means for collecting motion. In Figure 8 which represents a system such as described with reference to Figure 1, motion applied to D operates through, say, firstlyM and R andsecondly M and R In Figure 9 which represents a system such as described with reference to Figure 4, motion applied to D operates through, 1 FE, secondly D M B and R and thirdly Dalil R and R In Figure lOwhich represents a system such as described with reference to Figure 5, motion applied to D operates through, say, firstly, D M, R and R secondly D M R and R thirdly D M R and R tourthly D M*, R and R I claim 1. Apparatus for the conversion, within the limits of a prescribed extent ofmovement, of motion according to one law into motion according to another law, comprising conversion mechanism of the rotary member type, operable for converting motion according to one law into motion according to another law, each such conversion mechanism being operable for conversion of a separate portion and one and the same portion only, of the prescribed extent of movement, the sum of the separate portions consituting the prescribed extent of movement, a driving element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement to be converted, means for transmittin from the drivin element motion according to the portions. of movement to be converted, each to its apportioned conversion mechanism respectively, sepa rately and in succession, a driven element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement converted, and means for transmitting to the driven element motion according to the portions of movement converted, each from its apportioned conversion mechanism respectively, separately and in succession.

2. Apparatus for. the conversion, within the limits of a prescribed extent of movement, of motion according to one law into motion according to another law, comprising conversion mechanisms of the helico-spiral member. type, operable for converting mo tion according to one law into motion according to another law, each such conversion mechanism being operable for conversion of a separate portion and one and the same portion only, of the prescribed extent of movement, the sum of the separate portions constituting the prescribed extentof movement, a driving element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement to be converted, means for transmitting from the driving element motion according to the portions of movement to be converted, each to its apportioned conversion mechanism'respectively, separately and in succession, a driven element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement converted, and means say, firstly, M and for transmitting to the driven element motion according to the portions of movement converted, each from its apportioned conversion mechanism respectively, separately and in succession.

'3. Apparatus for the conversion, Within the limits of a prescribed extent of movement, of motion according to one law into motion according to another law, comprising -two conversion mechanisms of the helicospiral member type, operable for converting motion according to one law into motion according to another law, each such conversion mechanism being operable for conversion of a separate portion and one and the sameportion only, of the prescribed extent of movement, the sum of the two separate portions constituting the prescribed extent of movement, a driving element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement to be converted, means for transmitting from the driving element motion according to the portions of movement to be converted, each to its apportioned conversion mechanism respectively, separately and 1n succession, a driven element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement converted;

and means for transmitting to the driven element motion according to the portions of movement converted, each from its appor-x tioned conversion mechanism respectively, separately and in succession.

4. Apparatus for the conversion, within the limits of a prescribed extent of movement, of motion according to one law into motion according to another law, compris ing conversion mechanisms of the rotary member type, operable for converting motion according to one law into motion according to another law, each such conversion 7 mechanism being operable for conversion of a separate portion and one and the same portion only, of the prescribed extent of movement, the sum of the separateportions constituting the prescribed extent of motion,

a driving shaft rotatable according to the.

prescribed extent of movement to be converted, means for transmitting from the driving shaft rotary motion according to the portions of movement to be converted,each to its apportioned conversion mechanism respectively, separately and in succession, a driven element rotatable according to the prescribed extent ofmovement converted,

and means for transmitting to the driven element rotary motion according to the portions of movement converted, each from its apportioned conversion mechanism respec-f tively, separately and in succession.

5. Apparatus for the conversion, within the limits of a prescribed extent of move the prescribed extent of movement, a driving shaft rotatable according to the prescribe extent of movement to be converted, a differential device having its third element turnable by the drivingshaft, its first element in driving connection with the first conversion mechanism and its second element in driving connection with the second conversion mechanism, and having control means for permitting and preventing rotation of the first and second elements,

said differential device being operable for transmitting from the driving shaft rotary motion according to the portions of movement to be converted, the first element of the device rotating when transmitting to thefirst conversion mechanism, the second element rotatin when transmitting to the second convers on mechanism, separately and insuccession, a driven element rotatable according to the prescribed extent of movement converted, and differential gear for transmitting to the driven element rotary motion according to the portions of movement converted, each from its apportioned conversion -mechan1sm respectively, separately and in succession, substantially as set forth. v I 1 WILLIAM .STROUD. 

